Northern michigan big woods hunt

[kenn1320]

So I'm up in the northern lower peninsula of Mi for my first bow rut hunt on oublic ground. Aerial scouting revealed mainly flat ground with oaks of varying age with clear cuts of varying age. Lots of conifer and brush mixed in. I did some looking and found big grass fields that may have water with islands of small timber and bushes scattered in the field. Looks like marsh hunting without the cattails. Trails in the grass indicate lots of deer movement, but driving the sandy 2 track reveals minimal deer tracks(1 set). Relatives tell me not many deer up here, they live here so I sorta believe them. I'm sitting full day on south edge of outer island, nearest oaks are 1/2 mile maybe 3/4. I came in here last night before dark and hung a stand, noting several beds by only tree I could get in. I figured so what if I bust out the does, bucks should be cruising these islands looking for does. I've been here all day and saw (1) deer, a 2.5yr old 8pnt at 1:13 this afternoon. Shocker he J hooked into 8yds of me and saw me. I wasn't going to shoot him, but now I'm thinking he was coming in to bed. This island is 80yds x 150yds and I haven't walked any of it. There are bound to be doe beds on it I would think. My question to you guys, am I too far out of the game this time of year and should be up in the oaks/clear cuts or should I give this spot another sit and assume it's just low deer density and tomorrow could be different? Supposed to rain tomorrow, I thought about scouting the oaks looking for sign. I don't want to tromp around these islands, I think they are overlooked this time of yr. Maybe I should hop to a new one?

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[ihookem]

Seeing 1 8pt buck tells me there are deer there. I hunt several yrs to see a decent buck in northern Wis on public land. You are doing really good.

[Edcyclopedia]

Good luck!

[Beartown18]

with a buck sighting with low density I think I would give the different islands another chance before moving to the oaks

[obrion]

Good Luck man, sounds like you are off to a great start.

[kenn1320]

Well guys here's an update. I pulled my stand, it's right in the bedding and to thick for good shot ops. I lightly trimmed a "V" shooting lane by the fence where I plan to sit in a chair by a uprooted stump. It's so thick you basically have a sighting window and 12yds to draw and shoot at the other lane. It was raining today, so I went scouting and sat on the ground here and there as I went. I was 1.5 miles away from first spot, other side of the oaks I could see from first stand. I kicked up (3) does and said jackpot! I noted where their beds were and went the direction they ran. I found several crossing trails and decided that was the spot. It stopped raining about 2:30 and I headed out with my stand. I had a hard time climbing this tree, but got in and ready to hunt by 4. At 4:25 I see movement over by the doe bed area and see antlers. They weren't huge, but his body was and I said shooter! He walked 15yds and stopped motionless scanning the area. He then walked another 20yds and I could tell he wasn't coming my way, so planned to snort wheeze him when he stepped out from behind a big tree that was close to me, blocking my view. He never stepped out, so I blindly called twice and nothing. I waited a minute and one more call and two grunts and put it away. I never saw him, but figure he was probably out of hearing range by the time I tried calling. I really wanted a visual of him before I called to read his reaction. Oh well, I can't wait for tomorrow. I was kinda bummed by the wind tonight. No way he smelled me, but I noticed my wind going against the main wind direction about once every 4 gusts. When the wind was blowing it was perfect, then there was like a vacuum and it would go the wrong way. Wasn't thermals, as they should of helped in this situation. Hope tomorrow the wind cooperates 100%. If I see another buck travel the same line that one did, I'll move my stand.

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[kenn1320]

Jumped a deer in the powerline about 400yds from my spot on way in, too dark to tell buck or doe. Sat till 12:30-1 and decided wind was not good and tomorrow it would be out of the east. I pulled the stand and went scouting. I realized I was overloaded and decided I would head to the car. I'm glad I didn't set up there, it was a hard walk through clear cut, the stand was snagging on everything. In the dark it would have been aweful. I got back to the car by 2:30 and ate. I decided to go scout an island that favored the east wind tomorrow. I found lots of bedding, a scrape and a decent rub. I had a half mile walk and had to go back for my stand. The pine splits about 18ft up and that's where I put my stand. The tree was so big I could barely get my ropes around it. I had a LW strap and it wouldn't reach either. I retied one of the knots to give me a bit more reach and I got it. I made 2 mock scrapes where I could shoot too. I'm excited and bummed at the same time. Perfect wind tomorrow, but now they are calling for rain all morning. At 2:30 it was only suppose to rain till 4am. I hope it washes my scent away, if not the deer will smell I've been there. I'm learning a lot about this area, and will build on my knowledge for next year.

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[phishy]

awesome stuff!!

i'm beginning to love learning new land as well

it used to scare me and frustrate me, now it's half the fun

hope you dial in and thread a good one

[kenn1320]

Hey thanks. It's frustrating to not see many deer, but the adventure of walking new ground and finding sign is exciting. It's raining already, hope I catch another break and get a few hours of no rain to sit this new stand in the morning. Cold I can deal with, wet and cold not so much.

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[Zap]

Keep at it, brother!

[Bigburner]

Good luck to you man. Sounds like you're on the right track. Keep us posted

[kenn1320]

Thanks for the encouraging words guys, means a lot.
It rained all night, been raining all morning. No sign of it letting up on the radar. I'm cold and half wet. Only 2 things keeping me on stand, a $3 umbrella I bought 2 days ago at Walmart and shear desire to shoot a nice buck up here!
Stay tuned....

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[headgear]

Hey thanks. It's frustrating to not see many deer, but the adventure of walking new ground and finding sign is exciting. It's raining already, hope I catch another break and get a few hours of no rain to sit this new stand in the morning. Cold I can deal with, wet and cold not so much.

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Considering your bigwoods environment I would say you are doing fine, I've hunted 10 days and had only seen 1 deer before in northern MN, now that was after a couple of bad winters but you shouldn't expect to see a lot of deer. I have always said if you see one a day you are doing better than 99% of the bigwoods hunters.

[JoeRE]

Sounds like you are really into the deer. Big woods hunting is a different animal, I have done some in northern Wisconsin, wish I lived further north so I could do more of it because the solitude rocks. If you are having an encounter or two a day that is doing great, way less deer than ag country. My only advice would be to keep it up!

Good luck!

[kenn1320]

Toughed it out, sat all day with no lunch. Had a protein bar and 20oz of coffee on the walk out and 2 breakfast bars before 10. The rain quit around 1. My hands and feet were cold, kept thinking cotton socks in these cheap rubber boots ain't cutting it and I could picture my wool socks in my bag. I remembered I had gloves on me, quickly put em on. I stood almost the whole day, as sitting down seemed colder. I would squeeze all my muscles every time the wind would blow and it seemed to help. Did knee bends and other things to try to keep blood moving. Darkness came and I was glad to get down and head the 1/2 mile back to the car. It was easy walking, except for going over my boots in the ditch 60yds from my stand. My view from the stand was very limited, but the wind was right. I didn't see any deer, but a red squirrel kept me entertained for the first half of the day. Not sure the wind will be right for that stand in the morning, but it seems very promising. Nothing had hit my mock scrapes from what I could tell from my stand. I made them under an apple tree. Boy if that tree bears fruit one year, talk about a hidden gem!

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